try. From Mr. Groser's little work on "Illustrative Teaching," the following appropriate illustrations are drawn:

The duty of a firm, unmovable adherence to the truth is thus illustrated from Zoology:

"Let us take a walk on the sea-shore. Do you see that round, pointed pyramid of shell, resting on yonder rock? That is the house of the limpet; the animal is inside. Try to lift up the shell. In vain-you cannot move it. Use all your force; it is of no avail. So closely does the limpet cling to the rock, that although you may break the shell, you cannot remove it from its place. Learn a lesson from this little creature. Cling closely to the rock of right; let every attempt to withdraw you from it only make your grasp more firm and resolute, and suffer any thing, yea, death itself, rather than loose your hold."

Astronomy may thus be employed:

"You say that there are difficulties in the Bible which you cannot explain. True; but how many difficulties are there in God's other bookthe book of creation? You cannot explain how yonder silver-shining moon is kept in its appointed path, never turning aside, but circling continually around our earth. Yet you know that it really does this. And so the Bible has its mysteries; if it had not, it would not be like the other works of God."

The "Importance of those every-day occurrences, which are often termed trifles," is thus illustrated from Chemistry:

It is too often forgotten how great an influence the little occurrences of each day have over our thoughts and dispositions. They are ever acting upon us, either for good or for evil. Chemists tell us that a single grain of the substance called iodine will impart color to 7000 times its weight of water. It is so in the higher affairs of life. One companion, one book, one habit, may affect the whole life and character. We should be ever watchful lest our hearts, when we least suspect it, become tinged with evil. 2. The Useful and the Fine Arts furnish numerous illustrations of moral and other subjects.

The Daguerreotype process, for instance:

"However painful the troubles and afflictions of this life may be, ve know that they are sent for our good; and it is quite certain that, if rightly improved, they will render us holier, and therefore happier, although, as the Bible says, they at first 'seem grievous.' You have often seen a daguerreotype portrait, and, I dare say, have admired its wonderful accuracy. How faithful is the copy! every feature, every line of the original, has been portrayed on the surface of the polished metal. Much of that strange

process was carried on in the dark. The portrait was drawn in a darkened box; then carried into a darkened room, and hidden from the daylight, until each part of the image grew clear and perfect. So if God places us in the dark chamber of affliction, it is that we may become more like Him -that He may impress His own image more plainly on our hearts and lives."

3. Fiction, such as Allegories, Parables, Fables, Tales, and Legends, are useful for purposes of illustration. Thus, "The folly of useless boasting," may be shown by such a Fable as the following:

"A gourd wound itself round a lofty palm, and in a few weeks climbed to its very top."

"How old mayest thou be?" asked the new-comer.

"About a hundred years!"

"About a hundred years, and no taller! Only look, I have grown as tall as you, in fewer days than you count years."

"I know that well," replied the palm; "every summer of my life a gourd has climbed up around me, as proud as thou art, and as short-lived as thou wilt be."

4. Poetic Quotation often furnishes a happy and beautiful illustration of subjects upon which we may be writing.

LESSON CXXX.

ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF ILLUSTRATION.

1. Observation, conversation, and daily reading, will supply much illustrative matter to be used in our writing.

We must keep our eyes open to observe all that passes before them in the fields of nature-our eyes and ears open to notice all that may be seen and learned of human nature in our intercourse with our fellow-men. The sayings of men-a casual remark—an anecdote reported to us―a phrase used—newspaper items-many of these may be turned to a good account, and for this purpose should be stored up in the memory, or recorded in a commonplace book, with an appropriate heading, to indicate the subject which it may illustrate.

Dr. Aikin has written a fine dialogue, entitled "Eyes and No Eyes," or "The Art of Seeing," that may be read with great profit by the young, in this connection.

2. For purposes of illustration and greater impression, incidents or stories should occasionally be presented in the dramatic form, instead of being narrated in the ordinary method. The writings of Mr. Jacob Abbott, owe much of their interest and value to this method of instruction. Thus, in showing how to proceed wisely in correcting the errors of our friend, he advises us to understand fully the position of that friend, to see with his eyes, remembering that error appears reasonable to all who embrace it. he, "instead of this we keep at a distance, and fulminate expressions of reprobation at a man's errors, we may gratify our own censoriousness, but can do him no good." He then proceeds thus to illustrate his meaning:

"If," adds

"Father," says a little child, sitting on his cricket by the fireside, on a winter evening: "Father, I see a light, a strong light, out the window, over across the road."

"Nonsense, you silly child, there is no house across the road, and there can be no light there this time of night."

"But I certainly see one, father—a large, bright light."

"No such thing," insists the father; "it cannot be so. There is nothing over there that can burn. I can see out of the window myself, and it is all a white field of snow.

This is one way of combating error.

The boy is silenced, not convinced; and were he not awed by parental authority, he would not even be silenced.

"Where?" says another father, in a similar case. And though from his own chair he can see the field across the road, he goes to the child, and putting his eyes close to his son's, says, "Where? let me see."

"Ah! I see it: well, now, walk slowly with me up to the window."

Thus he leads the boy up, and shows him the grounds of his illusion, in a reflection of the fire from a pane of glass.

LESSON CXXXI.

DESCRIPTIVE WRITING.

A description is a statement of the particular circumstances by which persons, places, and objects, are distin. guished from other persons, places, and objects.

The description of a person sometimes refers only to the figure and countenance.

"Leah was tender-eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well-favored." "Joseph was a goodly person, and well-favored." "In all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty, from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head, there was no blemish in him." "The stature of William the Conqueror was tall, and the composition of his bones and muscles uncommonly strong." "The exterior of Ilenry V.,

as well as his deportment, was engaging; his stature was somewhat above the middle size; his countenance beautiful; his limbs genteel and slender, but full of vigor."

Descriptions of a person sometimes refer only to appearance, manners, or habits.

"And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words? And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite."—2 Kings i. 7, 8.

Sometimes the description of a person refers to his mental faculties or attainments.

"Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse, the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him."-1 Sam. xvi. 18.

"JOHN WESLEY AT OXFORD.-At college he continued his studies with all diligence, and was noticed there for his attainments, and especially for his skill in logic, by which he frequently put to silence those who contended with him in after life. No man, indeed, was ever more dexterous in the art of reasoning. A charge was once brought against him that he delighted to perplex his opponents by his expertness in sophistry. He repelled it with indignation. 'It has been my first care,' says he, 'to see that my cause was good, and never, either in jest or earnest, to defend the wrong side of a question; and shame on me if I cannot defend the right after so much practice, and after having been so early accustomed to separate truth from falsehood, how artfully soever they are twisted together.'" -Southey's "Life of Wesley."

Sometimes the description is not of a person, but of a character. See the description of a good wife in the last chapter of Proverbs. This description consists in an enumeration of particulars.

A description of a Place may include its situation, climate, productions, both of nature and art, and its peculiar beauties, curiosities, advantages, and inconveniences. But such full descriptions

occur chiefly in books of history and geography. A description intended to be used in reasoning, embraces only the chief point in which that country, city, town, village, &c., differs from others of the same class. See a description of Tyre, in the 27th chapter of the Prophet Ezekiel. See, also, a description of the Land of Canaan, Deut. viii. 7-9.

Descriptions of Objects are of two kinds,-one relating to living forms, and the other to such as are inanimate.

"Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? The glory of his nostrils is terrible. He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength; he goeth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage; neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting."-Job xxxix. 19-25.

See, also, Proverbs xxiv. 30-32.

LESSON CXXXII.

QUESTIONS SUGGESTIVE OF IDEAS FOR DESCRIPTION.

Questions to Suggest Ideas in Preparing a Description. 1. Of Persons:

What is the personal appearance, stature, form, complexion, color of eyes, the arms, the hands? &c.

What is the expression of countenance-the character indicated? Which are his prominent features?

What are the age, personal habits, accomplishments, attainments, and occupation?

What is the intellectual, moral, social character, and position of the person?

For what particular virtues, or vices, or manners, is he distinguished? &c.

2. Of sensible and inanimate Objects:

Where is it? What is it made of?-Who was the maker?-When was